Ireland has marked a major milestone in its clean energy transition, with national solar capacity exceeding 2GW for the first time. Since the country’s first solar farm came online in April 2022, capacity has grown to 2.1GW, supported by over 155,000 rooftop installations across homes, farms, and businesses. At summer peak, solar provided more than 21% of national electricity demand, effectively powering one in five Irish households simultaneously.

Energy and environment minister Darragh O’Brien hailed the achievement as a testament to collaboration between government, system operators, and industry. He highlighted that solar energy is now embedded in daily life across Ireland, helping to reduce both bills and carbon emissions.

The milestone reflects a concerted effort to integrate new renewable generation and modernise the national grid. John O’Connor, head of programme delivery at ESB Networks, stressed that the achievement demonstrates the critical role of households, large-scale developers, and government policy in driving Ireland’s transition toward low-carbon electricity. Initiatives such as RESS and PR5/PR6 investment programmes have provided policy certainty and financial support to scale up solar deployment.

Ronan Power, CEO of Solar Ireland, noted that the sector has more than doubled capacity in just three years, creating jobs, strengthening communities, and enhancing energy security. The 2GW milestone positions Ireland among Europe’s fastest-growing solar markets and lays the foundation for reaching the national target of 8GW by 2030.

The achievement underscores solar power’s increasing contribution to Ireland’s electricity mix and highlights the rapid pace of the country’s renewable energy transformation. With continued investment and deployment, Ireland’s solar industry is set to play a central role in defining the nation’s low-carbon energy future.

Read about how Ireland’s solar sector is reshaping the energy landscape and setting new European benchmarks.